Nested bottle cap package



NOV. 27, 195] SONNENBERG 2,576,650

NESTED BOTTLE CAP PACKAGE Filed Jan. 21, 1949 Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

2,576,650 NESTED BOTTLE PACKAGE Rudolph Soxinenberg, Belvidere, Il l-., assignor to 'Mid-West Bottle Cap (30., Belvidere, 111;, a corporation of Illinois Application Jamal-v21, 1949, SerialNo. 'izjozi' '1 Glaim. (o1. 206--65') This invention relates to bottle cap packages and is directed more particularly to packages for hood type bottle caps.

It has been customary heretofore to package hood type caps in conventional tubular bottle cap packages. This practice is objectionable in several respects. In the first place to indicate the contents of such packages has required that the mouth spanning portion, where it contains identifying indicia of a bottle cap of the type being packaged, be cut out of one cap and pasted on or otherwise affixed to the bottle cap package. This results in the wasting of a bottle cap and more important it requires time to out out the mouth spanning portion of the cap and paste it on one end of the bottle cap package. Another objection to packaging hood type caps in convent ional bottle cap packages is that the skirted portions of the end caps at one end of a nest of caps are unsupported in such conventional packages and as a result these skirted portions bend and frequently become damaged so badly during handling of the package that they cannot be used without the necessity of first reshaping the caps; This of course is objectionable where the capping of bottles is effected on a production linebasis. Moreover such deformed caps cannot be satisfactorily used in cappingmachines.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a bottle cap package which permits the ultimate user of the bottle caps todetermine at a glance the contents of a particular package without the necessity of opening the latter and which does not require the pasting of the mouth spanning portion of a cap or other identifying indicia on the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bottle cap package in which the skirt portions of the end caps in nested relation are supported in a rigid manner so as to prevent damage to these caps during the handling of the package.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a bottle cap package of the above character wherein the bottle caps arestored in a sanitary conditionand may be readilyremoved from the package in an easy manner when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bottle cap package of the above character which is simple in construction, which is sturdy and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view with cutaway end portions of a bottle cap package embodying the present invention: v I

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional "view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 3, and.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a plug engageable with the end cap at one end of the nest of caps to provide a seattherefor. v

Referring now to the drawings the invention is shown embodied in a bottle cap package of the type used in storing andhandling'a plurality of nested bottle caps H. For purposes'of illustration the bottle caps shown herein are of the hood type being formed from metal foil. It is to be understood however that the package to be hereinafter described in detail may be'us'ed with all types of hood caps and similarly nested articles. Thehood caps shown in section in Figure 1 comprise in general a mouth spanning portion I2 and a pleated outwardly flaring skirt portion I3 integral with the mouth spanning portion [2; In general the mouth spanning portion l2 carries identifying indicia thereon such as the grade and type of milk, name of'the dairy and the like.

The bottle cap package in this embodiment of the invention comprises a cylindrical sleeve or tube I4 having a slightly larger inner diameter than the outer diameter of the skirt portion l3 of the bottle caps ll-. As shown in Figurel the end iii of the sleeve is folded back on itself in the form of a--fiap to provide an abutment l1 spaced inwardly from the extreme end of the sleeve M. An annular ring I8 is disposed within the sleeve l4 and is shaped to abut against the abutment H. The ring [8 is formed with a central opening l9 which in this instance is covered by a transparent Window 2|. When thecaps' H are disposed in the tube M as shown in-Figure 1 the mouth spanning portion E2 of the outermost cap at one end of-the nest of caps'seats against the transparent member 21 so that the mouth spanning portion [2 of the outermostcap may be seen from the exterior of the sleevev l4.

At the opposite end of the sleeve l4 a plug 22 is positioned in the sleeve 14 to provide a seat for the outermost cap at the opposite end of the nest or stack of caps. As shown the plug comprises a central circular portion 23 shaped to abut against the underside of the mouth spanning portion I2 of the outermost cap II at the opposite end of the stack of caps. On its periphery the plug 22 is formed with an annular tapering portion 24 having the same general shape as the flared skirt portion I3 of the caps I I. The tapering portion 24 as shown in Figure 1 is in contiguous relation with the underside of the skirt portion [3 of the outermost cap II at the opposite end of the nest of caps. An annular shoulder 26 formed on the plug 22 engages the inner end or shoulder 28 of a folded over end flap 2'! at the opposite end of the sleeve. The engagement of the shoulder 26 with the shoulder 28 determines the axial position of the plug with respect to the sleeve I4. At its extreme outer end the plug 22 is formed with an annular sleeve-like portion 29 shaped to be disposed between the folded over flap 21 and the side walls of the sleeve I4 as best seen in Figure 1. This latter construction serves to secure the plug 22 in position.

The sleeve I4 may be formed from any suitable material. For purposes of illustration it is shown as being formed of heavy paper which is pliable and sufilciently flexible to permit the ends It and 2'! thereof to be folded over as disclosed while at the same time being rigid enough to provide a suitable relatively rigid enclosure for the bottle caps. The plug 22 may be'formed from pressed or molded paper. Similarly the annular 'ring I8 may be formed from heavy paper and the transparent window 2I may be formed from cellophane, isinglass, and thelike.

.i Many advantages result from this construction. "One advantage in particular is the ease with which the package and contents may be assembled. For example to assemble this package the flap I6 is folded over as seen in Figure l. Thereafter the ring I8 and transparent window 2 I, which may be formed either as a unitary piece or as separate pieces, are slipped into the sleeve I4 from the'opposite end; The caps H are then inserted in the sleeve with the mouth spanning portion i2 placed into the sleeve first. After the desired number of caps II are disposed in the sleeve the plug 22 is positioned so that the'circular portion 23 engages the underside of the mouth spanning portion I2 of the outermost cap "at the exposed end of the stack of caps and the tapering portion 24. engages the skirt portion I3 of the outermost cap. The plug 22 is then pushed into the sleeve and the flap 2'5 folded over; As shown the inner end of the flap 21 engages the shoulder 25 and positions the plug 22 axially of the sleeve I4. The annular portion 29 of the plug is disposed'between the side walls of the sleeve I4 and the flap 27. This latter construction minimizes the tendency for axial displace ment of the plug 22. It is to be understood that the package may be assembled in the reverse order by placing the plug 22 in the sleeve I4 first. Where desired either end of the sleeve may be perforated as indicated at 3| to facilitate opening the sleeve to effect the removal of the caps I I therefrom.

As best seen in Figure 1 when the caps are disposed in the package they are positively held between the plug 22 which forms a seat atone end of the sleeve for the outermost cap ofthe stack of caps and the ring I8 and window 2 I which forms a seat for the mouth spanning portion I2 of the cap at the opposite end of the stack of caps. In the assembled position the tapering portion 24 is spaced inwardly from the side walls' of the tube I 4 and together with the sidewalls of the sleeve forms a recess for the skirted portions of the caps adjacent the cap II engaged by the plug 22. With this construction the caps are positively held in a fixed position between the two seating members at opposite ends of the sleeve. Consequently the movement of the caps relative to the sleeve is held to a minimum during the handling of the package. This is important in preventing damage to the caps. The transparent window 2| permits the mouth spanning portion I2 of the cap adjacent thereto to be readily observed from the exterior of the package so that the contents are readily identified. This bottle cap package also provides a construction for handling bottle caps that insures that the caps are maintained in a sanitary condition during the handling thereof and that are readily available when required for capping purposes.

'I claim: 3

A package of nested bottle caps having flat tops and frusto-conical sides, said package comprising'a cylindrical sleeve-shaped tube enclosing said nested caps, said tube having its end portions folded inwardly of the tube to define abutments at opposite ends thereof, a closure member abutting against one of the abutments at one end of the tube and engaging the flat top portion of the mouth spanning portion of the adjacent cap, and a plug disposed at the opposite 'end of the tube, said plug having a flat circular portion engaging the flat bottom portion of the mouth spanning portion of the adjacent cap of the nested caps and having a frusto-conical portion of the same shape as the side portions of the caps engaging the side portion of the adjacent cap, the frusto-conical portion of said plug terminating in a substantially cylindrical portion to form an inner abutment engaging the inturned end portion of the tube at said opposite end thereof, said cylindrical portion of said plug being positioned between the inwardly folded end portion of the tube at said opposite end thereof and the side Walls of the tube for positively positioning said plug at said opposite end of the tube.

' RUDOLPH SONNEN BERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

